Oasis postpone Canada gig after attack

Reuters Staff

2 Min Read

<p>Musician Noel Gallagher of the band Oasis stands for a portrait in New York in this November 6, 2006 file photo. REUTERS/Keith Bedford/Files</p>

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - British rock band Oasis has postponed a concert scheduled to take place in the Canadian city of London on Tuesday, two days after guitarist Noel Gallagher was attacked by a fan on stage in Toronto.

“Oasis are regrettably being forced to announce that tonight’s show in London, Ontario cannot go ahead as planned,” the band said in a statement on its Web site.

The band said Gallagher, 41, fell heavily onto his monitor speakers when he was pushed from behind by his attacker, and suffered bruising to his ribs and hip. After being examined at a hospital, he was advised to rest, the band added.

Video footage on YouTube showed a man running hard from the back of the stage and while the band was playing its hit song “Morning Glory” for the 40,000-strong audience at Toronto’s V Festival.

Oasis said it was keen to complete its Canadian tour, and would return to London on December 15. Oasis’ next performance is on Friday in New York.

Following the attack, a 47-year-old Toronto man was charged with assault and released without bail. He is due to appear in court next month. The motive for the attack was not known.

Oasis, one of Britain’s biggest bands of the 1990s with hits like “Wonderwall” and “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” is playing several concerts in Canada and the United States before a sold-out British and European tour in late September to promote its upcoming album “Dig Out Your Soul.”